Airell Anthony Hayles and Sam Casserly are the directors of THEY’RE OUTSIDE, a creepy independent horror film about a celebrity psychologist who, while filming a documentary about an agoraphobic woman, is drawn into supernatural events. We caught up with Airell for the film, ahead of the film’s October 29 digital release date via Terror Films.
When did this project come to be?
I attended the Traditional Jack in the Green festival in my home town, Hastings East Sussex in England. It was a magical experience and I somehow wanted to put it on film. Then I knew I wanted to tell a story about a woman’s agoraphobia being tied to the supernatural rather than the psychological. Then the two things were blended.
And the inspiration was your uncle’s agoraphobia?
Partly yes. I wondered what would lead someone to be scared to leave the house. It threw another perspective on the world I hadn’t thought about before. That people can be scared of life itself rather than monsters
For those not versed in agoraphobia, how does it work?
Essentially, it’s a fear of being in situation where escape might be difficult, or that help wouldn’t be available if things go wrong. But there are multiple layers of complexity to the condition. It fascinates me as I love being out and about. I fear having to stay in too much. So lockdown was hard.
It works in the film with a twist- who came up with that?
That came about when writing the screenplay (and not all found footage films have full scripts) Was fun to think that someone with agoraphobia was talking about ghosts being outside. Of course people might think she just had psychological problems. But what if that was really the root of her fear, and the ghosts were all too real!
Was great to see Nicholas Vince in there. Have you worked with Nicholas before?
We have yes. He was in Heckle, a film we made about a stand up comedian being stalked by an unhinged heckler. The films also features Steve Gutenberg (Police Academy) in a far darker role than usual! Nicholas Vince will also appear (once again in the role of Richard Hill) in The Krampus Calendar. It’s a found footage cursed advent calendar film, and is the winter companion piece to the summer pagan nightmare that is They’re Outside.
The film relies on the right casting, how did you find them?
Yep, I’ve heard a film’s success is 90 per cent casting. So, we were delighted Nicholas Vince was there to tell the scary story at the start. We were delighted scream queen Emily Booth undertook the challenge to play a more naturalistic role (which she does once again in our upcoming Christmas horror film- Werewolf Santa) As to our leads, Tom Wheatley nailed it- so good! And Christine Randall had a wonderful slightly detached quality to her.
Did you pull a Hitchcock, and cameo in it?
We did, but those scenes were deleted. Probably for the best!
Being an indie film, did you wear multiple hats?
Yes. Writing, producing, and co directing for me, where Sam was co- director, DOP, and co- Editor. It’s good to learn things around the roles, as it gives you more of that creative freedom. Sometimes though it just sucks, and you don’t sleep much! But that’s the indie film game.
Was it your suggestion to put the film out on October 29th?
No, that was our wonderful sales team at Terror Films. We’ve loved their output, found footage films like Hell House LLC and The Taking of Deborah Logan, so it’s been a joy to work with Joe Dain and his team. They have some really cool marketing ideas, and clearly love the genre as much as we do.
Dressing up for Halloween this year?
Yes. There’s a party planned. Not sure what I’ll go as yet, but my mates and I like to dress up scary and freak people out. Sam Casserly- yes. This year I’ll be going in drag as Norman Bates’s mother. First time for everything!